James Raphael Mitchell is lead out of court after his appears in Marin County Superior Court on Friday, July 24, 2009 in San Rafael, Calif. where he pleaded not guilty in the slaying of his girlfriend, Danielle Keller. less

James Raphael Mitchell is lead out of court after his appears in Marin County Superior Court on Friday, July 24, 2009 in San Rafael, Calif. where he pleaded not guilty in the slaying of his girlfriend, Danielle ... more

Photo: Robert Tong, Marin Independent Journal / Pool

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A recent photograph of Danielle Keller, the murder victim. PHOTO BY KELLY HORNE The son of former porn king Jim Mitchell was arrested for murder of Danielle Keller and the kidnapping of his one year old daughter.
Ran on: 07-14-2009
Danielle Keller
Ran on: 07-14-2009
Danielle Keller
Ran on: 07-15-2009
Danielle Keller had secured a permanent restraining order against James Mitchell.
Ran on: 07-15-2009
Danielle Keller had secured a permanent restraining order against James Mitchell.
Ran on: 07-16-2009
Danielle Keller
Ran on: 07-16-2009
Danielle Keller
Ran on: 07-16-2009
Danielle Keller
Ran on: 07-25-2009
Danielle Keller, the homicide victim, was the mother of Mitchell's 1-year-old daughter, Samantha.
Ran on: 07-25-2009
Danielle Keller, the homicide victim, was the mother of Mitchell's 1-year-old daughter, Samantha. less

A recent photograph of Danielle Keller, the murder victim. PHOTO BY KELLY HORNE The son of former porn king Jim Mitchell was arrested for murder of Danielle Keller and the kidnapping of his one year old ... more

"He ought to be a man and plead guilty and spend the rest of his life in prison," Claudia Stevens said.

Her shoes were decorated with ladybugs - the nickname for her slain daughter.

The relationship between Mitchell, 27, son of the late San Francisco porn impresario Jim Mitchell, and Keller was rocked by domestic abuse, according to court records. A day before Keller's death, Mitchell received a restraining order preventing him from coming near her, according to court records.

Police say Mitchell showed up at the Novato home where Keller was living with her mother and killed his ex-girlfriend in the backyard before driving off with their daughter. The girl turned 1 the day her mother died.

His attorney, former San Francisco District Attorney Terence Hallinan, requested Friday that the court postpone Mitchell's arraignment two more weeks.

"We are still in the process of putting together a legal team, and I have 300 more pages of documents coming to me, so if we wait I can make a more informed decision," he said.

Marin Superior Court Judge Kelly Vieira Simmons denied his request, siding with prosecutor Charles Cacciatori, who cited a section of the California Penal Code that states a victim's family must be treated with dignity. Making them wait unnecessarily is discourteous, he said.

A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Oct. 5.

Mitchell, who sat through the 15-minute proceeding with his hands folded in his lap, was asked if he agreed to the date, to which he said his only words in court that day: "Yes, ma'am, I understand."

Outside the courtroom, Stevens passed out more flyers: On Monday Hamilton Cafe in Novato will donate 10 percent of all dinner proceeds to a fund set up for her granddaughter Samantha.